


Duty and Virtue

by moonblossom



Series: Ink and Honour [10]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Bow Street Runners, Gen, Healthy Relationships, Historical Inaccuracy, Ink and Honour, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Vignette, regency au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-07
Updated: 2013-12-07
Packaged: 2018-01-03 22:41:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1073896
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonblossom/pseuds/moonblossom
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sally Donovan is about to start her first day at Bow Street, and Mrs. Donovan could not be more proud.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Duty and Virtue

**Author's Note:**

> First, [against-stars drew this perfectly adorable chibi of Sally in uniform](http://against-stars.tumblr.com/post/54073966526/well-this-escalated-quickly-impromptu-cast-lineup), and then several folks asked for a bit more of Sally in this 'verse, and who am I to deny you? It isn't long, just a quick view into her first day as a Runner, but I hope you enjoy it. This takes place close to the end of the events in I&H, while John is away.
> 
> Thanks to Sandy for looking this over. <3

Her new uniform was pressed and ready, the silver buttons up the front of the coat gleaming in the dim light of dawn. After pulling up her stockings, Sally stepped into the pantalettes and the calf-length skirt, feeling quite scandalous for a moment. The clothing would definitely afford her a heretofore-unknown freedom of movement as she went about her new duties as an enforcer of the law, but there was no denying how short the skirt was. The entire tops of her boots would be visible once she slipped them on!

She laced herself up and slipped the short jacket over her under-dress, fingers running over the coarse wool. It was a far cry from the cotton she was accustomed to. Rough, and not nearly as meticulously finished as the dresses her mother made, and yet it filled her with pride to step into it. It was not the clothing itself, rather what the clothing represented, that was of import.

Thus attired, she tidied her small, spartan bedroom and stepped into the corridor, carefully closing the door behind her before heading into the foyer.

Sally frowned into the hall mirror, attempting vainly to adjust her new black cap over her curly locks. There was nothing for it, really. She left it sitting loosely on top. Her mother clucked over her shoulder.

"We could iron it down a bit, if you like?"

Adamantly, Sally shook her head. "I am mightily proud of my hair, mum. I am not going to change it, make it easier for _them that be_ to look at me. The hat is not much more than a formality in any case, I shall take it off soon enough. Besides, are curls not all the fashion right now?"

Smiling, nearly full to bursting with pride, Mrs. Donovan pinned the shiny silver badge to her daughter's black coat. "You are a smart girl, Sally."

"Of course I am, mum. You raised me well."

"Just think, Sally! One of us working out there. Not in someone's kitchen, not downstairs."

Sally felt her cheeks flushing and demurred. "It is just the Runners, mum."

Her mother _tsk_ ed. "You are not to call them that, Sally. Be respectful. And it is just the runners _for now_. Who knows where it might lead?"

Turning to study her mother's face, Sally frowned.

"Are you apprehensive?"

Sally shook her head. "Not exactly. Lestrade is a competent, kind man. I have no worries of him. It is that nuisance, Mr. Sherlock Holmes who concerns me. He loiters about at every crime scene, despite not having any proper reason to be there. And the look of glee on his face, mum! No respectable gentleman should be so excited about death. He has even taken to dragging that poor Watson along. There is something off about them, mark my words."

Mrs. Donovan looked thoughtful. "If Lestrade permits them to be underfoot, there must be a reason. Do not go contradicting your superiors on your first official day. Besides," she reached out, patting Sally's shoulder comfortingly. "If there is anything amiss about them, I have no doubt you will uncover it."

Smiling, Sally reached out and embraced her mother tightly, something she had not truly done for several years now. Startled, Mrs. Donovan squeaked before returning the gesture.

"Thank you, mother. For everything. Now, it would not do to be late on my first proper day." She took her mother's hands between her own and squeezed tightly, a gesture full of reassurance and enthusiasm, before opening the front door and stepping out into the bright thrumming noise of London.

**Author's Note:**

> This ficlet is chock-full of historical implausibilities and outright impossibilities. As a woman, especially a woman of colour, Sally would never have been afforded a position with an organisation like the constables of Bow Street (even though it was not considered a particularly respectable profession at the time), but I couldn't resist. Also, a grown woman wearing any sort of skirt that showed any calf would have been entirely inappropriate, but I tried to find an outfit that would allow her some liberty while chasing down criminals while still remaining somewhat decent. After all, I've never claimed for this series to be entirely historically accurate. ;)


End file.
